Carroll West Ofsthun

Military
media-25629.jpeg UPL 25629 P-51 Mustang flown by Lt C W Ofsthun
Leiston 357th FG, 363rd FS

Carroll Ofsthun named his plane after the cartoon character "Carroll the Count". He was wingman for Chuck Yeager on the day that Chuck shot down 5 e/a, becoming 'Ace in a Day'. Carroll is credited with shooting down an Me262.

Judd Peterson, son of Richard Peterson of the 364th FS, and, coincidentally, son-in-law of Carroll Ofsthun.

Object Number - UPL 25629 - P-51 Mustang flown by Lt C W Ofsthun Leiston 357th FG, 363rd FS Carroll Ofsthun named his plane after the cartoon character "Carroll the Count"....

Carroll Ofsthun was a Pilot in the 357th Fighter Group/363rd Fighter Squadron. He is credited with shooting down a German ME-262 jet fighter near Prague, Czechoslovakia on the 19 April 1945 bomber escort mission. He served also in Korea and Vietnam and ended his career in the Air Force with the rank of Lt Colonel.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

44-14977

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: The Count
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron

Missions

Places

Aerial photograph of Leiston airfield looking south, the control tower and technical site are to the right, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/929. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Leiston

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Theberton/Saxmundham

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

28 July 1921 Cyrus, Pope County, Minnesota, United States

Enlisted

27 July 1942 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Other

Ended his Tour

25 April 1945

Other

Discharged

15 August 1945

Died

3 August 2001

Born

Cyrus, Minnesota

Buried

Carroll Ofsthun rests at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in South Minneapolis, Minnesota

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added some Punctuation to the S/N.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft Card
357th FG mission report for 19 April 1945 at https://www.cebudanderson.com/misrep2.htm
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File
VA Gravesite Locator

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Carroll West Ofsthun: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 25629 - P-51 Mustang flown by Lt C W Ofsthun Leiston 357th...